The present invention generally relates to an electrical connector for mobile phone, and in particular to a vertical SMT-type electrical connector for a mobile phone charging station.
Connectors are commonly used in mobile phones for providing releasable electrical connection between mobile phones and external devices, such as a battery charger or a mobile cradle.
Such a conventional connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,077,118. In this prior art patent, a connector includes an insulative housing and a plurality of terminals mounted in the housing. A metal shell is disposed about the outer periphery of the housing. Each terminal includes a contact portion for engaging with a counterpart terminal of a mating connector, a retaining portion downwardly extending from the contact portion and a tail portion. The tail portion extends from the retaining portion and is parallel to the contact portion for soldering to a circuit board. A pair of positioning posts are formed integrally with the shell and project downwardly for inserting into appropriate mounting holes in the circuit board for preventing the connector from moving. The connector is horizontally surface mounted on the circuit board.
However, the connector is unfit to electrically and mechanically connect an external device which is mounted normal to the circuit board. Furthermore, due to the connector is horizontally surface mounted on the circuit board, the connector occupies so large place of the circuit board. Furthermore, the contact portion of each terminal bears against a corresponding counterpart terminal of the mating connector with a large normal force. Thus, the tail portion of each terminal bears against the contact portion with a large force because the tail portion is parallel to the contact portion. Therefore, the connection between the tail portion and the circuit board tends or become damaged after a period of use, resulting in an unreliable connection. Furthermore, in order to preventing the connector from reciprocating moving, the shell of the connector forms positioning posts to complicate the processing of manufacturing.
The present invention aims to solve the problem by providing a vertical SMT-type connector for a mobile phone connection system.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a vertical SMT-type electrical connector for a mobile phone connection system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector of which the terminals effectively engage with a circuit board.
To achieve the above objects, an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing, a plurality of L-shaped conductive contacts retained in the housing and a shield substantially enclosing the housing. The housing includes an elongate body and an upper projection extending upwardly from a top surface of the body. Each contact includes an engaging section and a tail section perpendicularly to each other. The shield includes a front shell and a rear shell. The front shell includes a front panel for shielding a front surface of the body of the housing, two side panels for abutting against side surfaces of the housing and an upper extension for shielding a front surface of the upper projection of the housing. The side panels extend from opposite edges of the front panel. The upper extension offsets from the front panel. The rear shell includes a rear panel for shielding a rear surface of the body of the housing, two upper side panels for abutting against side surfaces of the housing and a lower extension for shielding a rear surface of the upper of the housing. The upper side panels extend from the rear panel. The lower extension offsets from the rear panel.
The connector mounted on the circuit board occupies a small space. When a tongue plate of a mating connector engages with the connector, the contacts of the mating connector electrically engage with corresponding contacts to establish a desired electrical connection between the connector and the mating connector. At the same time, the engaging section of each contact bears against a corresponding counterpart contact of the mating connector with a force in a direction along the engaging section. The tail portion bears against the engaging section with little force because the tail portion is perpendicular to the engaging section whereby the movement of the tail section with respect to the circuit board is avoided. Therefore, reliable connection between the connector and the circuit board is maintained.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.